The Story

Alfredo and the courtesan Violetta fall passionately in love. But Alfredo’s father, Giorgio Germont, disapproves of their relationship.

Germont convinces Violetta that she must leave Alfredo, for the family’s sake – not realizing that Violetta is very ill. Alfredo is distraught, believing that Violetta has left him out of self-interest. When Violetta is on her deathbed Germont understands the extent of her sacrifice. He confesses all to Alfredo, who is with Violetta as she dies.

Background

‘A toast to the pleasures of life!’ – so sings Violetta, her new admirer Alfredo and her party guests in the opening scene of Giuseppe Verdi’s La traviata. But beneath the surface glamour of Violetta’s Parisian life run darker undercurrents: her doomed love for Alfredo and the tensions the lovers encounter when they break society’s conventions. La traviata, based on Alexandre Dumas fils’s play La Dame aux camélias, is one of Verdi’s most popular operas, combining drama, profound emotion and wonderful melodies.

Richard Eyre’s classic production conveys the indulgent social whirl of 19th-century Paris. It provides a vivid setting for Verdi’s tuneful score, which includes such favourites as Violetta’s introspective ‘Ah fors’è lui’ and ecstatic ‘Sempre libera’; the duet ‘Pura siccome un angelo’ as Giorgio Germont begs Violetta to leave Alfredo; and ‘Parigi, o cara’, in which the lovers poignantly imagine a life that will never be theirs. The role of Violetta (the ‘fallen woman’ of the title) is one of Verdi’s most complex and enduring characters.

On Wikipedia

La traviata (Italian: [la traˈviaːta], "The Fallen Woman") is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on La dame aux Camélias (1852), a play adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils. The opera was originally entitled Violetta, after the main character. It was first performed on 6 March 1853 at the La Fenice opera house in Venice.Piave and Verdi wanted to follow Dumas in giving the opera a contemporary setting, but the authorities at La Fenice insisted that it be set in the past, "c. 1700". It was not until the 1880s that the composer and librettist's original wishes were carried out and "realistic" productions were staged.

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Running time

About 3 hours 10 minutes | Including two intervals. Act One will last for about 35 minutes followed by a 30 minute interval. Act Two will last for about 1 hour 5 minutes, followed by a 25 minute interval. Act Three will last for about 35 minutes.

Language

Sung in Italian with English surtitles

Credits

Menus for this production

Make the most of this fabulous operatic occasion by treating yourself to a celebratory meal. Our menus feature all the bright lights of the spring potager – rhubarb, asparagus, broad beans and peas among them.